


Darling

by PailetteHazel



Series: Chronicles of a Hopeful Few [2]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Original Work
Genre: Canon Compliant, Childhood Memories, Delearys works through some of her issues, F/F, F/M, Gayalisation, Oneshot, mention of drunkenness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23183515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PailetteHazel/pseuds/PailetteHazel
Summary: Twenty years have passed, and Delearys of Aderyn has returned to Gideon. But the ruse she is setting up with her party member and friend Sal makes her realise some things.
Relationships: Delearys of Aderyn & Faerryn Stamen Limu, Delearys of Aderyn & Loratris Laravilliers, Delearys of Aderyn & Sal Devon Archibald Van Dolion of Musicals
Series: Chronicles of a Hopeful Few [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1631809
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	Darling

A candle flickered, spreading its light around the simple inn room. Delearys was untangling her braid as she was sitting on the bed. The double bed. 

How long had it been since she had been in Gideon? She had been only 28 when she left the palace to study at the Abbey. Twenty years ago. For those that were not used to elven lifespans, that was a long, long time. And frankly, it had felt that way for Delearys, too. 

After she had brushed through her copper hair, the paladin blew out the candle. She laid down, facing the empty space at her side. Wondered when Sal and the others would be back. Delearys couldn’t help but smile slightly. At least, when she would be facing her family again, she would not be alone.

Sal was feeling as tense as she was, the paladin knew. Even if he managed to hide most of it, she had recognised his nervous fidgeting and his insistence to practice over and over again. Delearys might not always see eye to eye with the bard, but she had to give credit where it was due: he was clever, and his plan, somehow, had a chance of succeeding. 

She exhaled softly, with a smile. The two of them had probably been mistaken for a couple before, with their bickering and corralling of the teenagers of the party. The past few days, it had gotten even more intense. Sal had insisted, with a teasing twinkle in his eyes, that they should pretend as much as they could. He had started with the nicknames, too. 

“Dear, it’s your turn to lead the horses.”  
“A room together for me and my sweetheart!”  
“We’ll be fine, don’t worry about us darling.”

And Delearys wasn’t an idiot. She knew it was acting, that it was fake, and yet.. the sweet words had made her feel warm inside. She giggled and teased back where she could, and it was... nice. If a married relationship was meant to be like this, then maybe it wasn’t so bad. 

Within the Aderyn family, marriage had a designated purpose. The young Delearys knew nobody who had married out of love: it was all power, influence, politics. Even Mother and Father had married for the sake of an heir. And the noble child grew up with the idea that marriage had to be... useful rather than loving. 

It had made her feel uneasy and rebellious. But what if… The paladin opened her eyes to the pitch darkness of her room as the realisation struck her. A relationship, in of itself, was something she’d love. Delearys felt like something deep inside her had shifted. Of course. She could love, and even marry someone without any deeper intrigues dancing around it. 

Delearys moved herself upright, rubbing her hand over her eyes, and let out a short breathy laugh. She felt like a blindfold had been taken off, and only now she could see things so much clearer. Her thoughts drifted across her different relationships. The party was like a family: Faerryn and Sal felt more like siblings than potential partners. Sal in particular would never think of her like that. And Faerryn had Nysmil.

Her mind wandered on. Caroline. Oh goodness, no. Edvin. Had she ever even had a private talk with him? He was too young anyway, Delearys dismissed. His brother, Rupert, was the same: even though she had taken a liking to him. 

Then her mind pushed her in the direction of the trio of Merrowport, which had helped the party to save Azuris. And to a certain one in particular: Loratris. Delearys remembered their long talks, about the things the paladin was hesitant to even discuss with the party. She remembered the confident sailor at the helm, laughing at her jokes and nodding empathetically at her concerns. She remembered how Loratris- Lolo.. had offered a nickname to aid her pronunciation, and that the elven woman had called her courageous. “Wait.” Delearys spoke softly to the dark, empty room, “was she… flirting with me?”

At that moment, a loud thump came from outside, as if someone had thrown a heavy bag on the roof of the inn. Before Delearys could decide whether or not to check it out, the window blinds swung open. There he was, her pretend-husband, seeming incredibly unstable in all his intoxicated glory. He stumbled in and collapsed on top of the paladin. Delearys sighed. "Welcome back..." She muttered, prodding his side. "Darling."


End file.
